NEWS

Mounting anger over soaring fuel and fertiliser costs across Northern Ireland has prompted fresh political pressure on Westminster, as planned fuel protests loom and Stormont’s First Minister and deputy First Minister jointly urge the Prime Minister to intervene without delay. The developing row comes as households, businesses, farmers and hauliers across Northern Ireland face intensifying financial strain, with rising fuel and energy prices deepening the wider cost-of-living

A animal snare discovered at a riverside location where otters were found Northern Ireland is set to remain the only part of the UK without movement towards a ban on animal snares during the current Assembly mandate, after the Agriculture Minister confirmed there are no plans to bring forward legislation on the issue. The confirmation has prompted sharp criticism from South Antrim MP Robin Swann, who said the decision leaves Northern Ireland lagging behind the rest of the UK

Motorists across Northern Ireland facing persistently high insurance premiums are being told that work is continuing at Westminster to tackle the costs driving prices upward, after South Antrim MP Robin Swann welcomed an update from the UK Government on the progress of its motor insurance taskforce. The latest response, issued by Minister for Local Transport Lilian Greenwood MP, confirms that the taskforce is concentrating on reducing claim costs by tackling inefficiencies w

Ulster Unionist Party Leader & North Antrim MLA Jon Burrows Northern Ireland’s First Minister and deputy First Minister are being urged to begin immediate civil contingency planning amid growing concern over the risk of potential fuel shortages linked to the escalating geopolitical crisis in the Middle East. Ulster Unionist Party Leader Jon Burrows MLA has written directly to Stormont’s joint leaders calling for emergency preparedness measures to be activated now, warning tha

Children in Northern Ireland are still afforded less legal protection from physical harm than adults because parents and carers can continue to rely on the defence of “reasonable punishment” , the NSPCC has warned, as pressure mounts for Stormont to amend the law through the Justice Bill. The children’s charity is urging all political parties to back an amendment currently tabled at the Northern Ireland Assembly which would remove what it describes as an outdated legal defenc

The poster placed at two roadside junctions in Ballycastle, and inset, TUV MP Jim Allister and Sinn Féin MLA Philip McGuigan Political placards which had become the focus of local concern in Ballycastle have been removed following intervention by the Department for Infrastructure, prompting a fresh political row over standards for public displays in the town. The signs, located at the junction of Mary Street and Cushendall Road, were taken down after North Antrim MP Jim Allis

The number of babies born in Northern Ireland continued its long-running downward trend through 2025, while newly published provisional figures also point to rising three-year averages for suicide and drug-related deaths. The latest Registrar General Quarterly Report, published on Monday by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA), provides a detailed snapshot of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships recorded between 1 October and 31 December 202

Cancer services in Northern Ireland remained under intense strain at the end of 2025, with the latest Department of Health figures showing that almost all key waiting time targets continued to be missed despite an increase in the number of patients beginning treatment and a sharp rise in breast cancer assessments. The newly published Accredited Official Statistics cover the quarter ending December 2025 and set out waiting times for patients accessing cancer services at hospit

North Antrim TUV MLA Timothy Gaston Fresh questions have been raised over spending at Stormont after newly revealed documents showed the refurbishment of the Assembly’s Blue Flax canteen cost almost £200,000 more than originally budgeted, prompting sharp criticism from TUV MLA Timothy Gaston. The final bill for the renovation of the canteen at Parliament Buildings came to £530,532, according to documents obtained by BBC News NI through a Freedom of Information request. The Bl

Pictured: Northern Ireland Education Minister Paul Givan Serious weaknesses in school assessment data and a decade of disrupted inspections have left major blind spots in understanding the quality of education being delivered across Northern Ireland, according to a significant new watchdog report. The findings, published today by the Northern Ireland Audit Office, place fresh pressure on the Department of Education and reinforce calls for urgent reform across the school syste

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons is pictured with Mark Graham, Chief Executive of Co-Ownership. More people and families across Northern Ireland could soon find it easier to step onto the property ladder after Communities Minister Gordon Lyons  announced an increase in the Co-Ownership property value limit. From 14 April 2026, the maximum value of a property that can be purchased through the Co-Ownership scheme will rise from £210,000 to £215,000, a move aimed at widening ac

The Ulster Farmers’ Union has launched a strong challenge to proposals that would see firearms licensing fees in Northern Ireland rise by up to 153%, warning the move could place yet another financial strain on already pressured farm businesses. The proposed changes, put forward by the Department of Justice and now out for public consultation, would increase the cost of a firearm certificate from £98 to £250 , alongside significant rises across other licensing categories. For

TUV North Antrim MLA Timothy Gaston The political fallout over Northern Ireland’s special educational needs summer schemes deepened today after TUV MLA Timothy Gaston launched a blistering attack in the Assembly, accusing ministers and officials of failing some of the most vulnerable children in society. In a strongly worded address, the North Antrim MLA said the decision to cancel the schemes — before a subsequent reversal — was “not simply an administrative mis-step” but

People across Northern Ireland could soon see more health and wellbeing support delivered closer to where they live, following the launch of a major new neighbourhood care framework by Health Minister Mike Nesbitt. The new Neighbourhood Model of Health and Wellbeing Framework, published today by the Department of Health, marks a significant shift in how care is planned and delivered, with a strong focus on prevention, early intervention and supporting people to remain indepen

Sainsbury’s in Ballymena Motorists across Northern Ireland have been reassured that fuel continues to be delivered as normal, despite reports over the weekend of shortages at a small number of local filling stations. The reassurance from Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald comes as drivers face a sharp rise in costs at the pumps, with new figures showing petrol and diesel prices have climbed to their highest levels in more than two years. Dr Archibald said there is no conf

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald has today published the Northern Ireland’s first Aviation Policy for consultation. Pictured (L-R) are Katy Best, Chief Commercial Officer, Belfast City Airport, Dan Owens, CEO, Belfast International, Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald and Steve Frazer, Managing Director, City of Derry Airport. A major new aviation policy designed to strengthen Northern Ireland’s global connections and drive economic growth has been launched — with ambi

L-R: Declan McAleer MLA, Deputy Chair of the AERA Committee; Robbie Butler, MLA, Chair of the AERA Committee; Kathleen McBride, CEO of Lough Neagh Fishermen’s Co‑Operative Society; Michelle McIlveen MLA, AERA Committee member and Dr Janice Thompson, Committee Clerk. The scale of the crisis engulfing Lough Neagh was laid bare this week as Stormont committee members heard stark warnings from local fishers who say their industry is “dying” amid environmental decline, collapsing

Ulster Unionist Party leader and education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA Summer schemes for children with special educational needs will now go ahead — a dramatic turnaround following days of uncertainty that left families fearing vital support had been lost. The confirmation, welcomed by Ulster Unionist Party leader and education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA , follows intense political pressure and urgent engagement between the Departments of Education and Health. For familie

Northern Ireland’s Education Minister Paul Givan, and Health Minister Mike Nesbitt Families of children with special educational needs have been handed renewed hope after Stormont ministers stepped in over the controversial cancellation of summer schemes. Education Minister Paul Givan has called for urgent engagement to restore provision, while Health Minister Mike Nesbitt has now voiced “extreme concern” — ordering officials to explore how schemes could still go ahead. The

Ulster Unionist Party Leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA   Fresh pressure is mounting on the Education Authority after the Ulster Unionist Party warned the cancellation of special school summer schemes raises “serious questions” — including whether the decision was justified at all. Ulster Unionist Party Leader and Education spokesperson Jon Burrows MLA has criticised the move by the Education Authority (EA), describing it as “deeply alarming” for children a